Science Philosophy
Over the course of the semester I have consistently made growth as an educator. From this course in particular, I have found a new understanding for science. I have developed a stance on what science is and how science should be taught to students in the elementary classroom. I believe science is investigating and using inquiry as a tool to make connections and raise questions about the world all around us. Students need to be engaged in practice where they can explore and form their own ideas to share with others. This idea is similar to Owens and Martin (2011) authors of “Lose the Recipe.” They state, “…it is important to allow children the opportunity to explore their own ideas as much as possible at this early age when they are curious about the world around them” (p. 43). Students excel at making connections to things that really happen in life. Providing them with these opportunities does various things. The first thing it does is creates a reason for students to learn. Additionally, students take ownership of their learning when they are the ones raising the questions and sharing their ideas. To connect with that idea, I also believe in science students need to learn that it is very important to share their ideas and work with others. It is important for the teacher to create a community where students are not concerned about others “stealing” their idea or answer but instead a positive environment where everyone learns from each other and works together. In “An Authentic Science Conference,” Olson and Cox (2001) highlight this when they say, “Instead scientists conduct investigations based significantly on the works of others, and they often work in teams” (p. 43). Artifacts in my portfolio are evidence in the development of my core beliefs of science. Artifacts #1 and #6 demonstrate my belief that students need to be engaged in investigations and inquiries where they are raising questions about the world around them. In my lesson analysis, I highlight the importance of the nature of science and that the world is understandable as well as the idea that science is a complex social activity. Additionally, in my learning cycle, students are engaging in both natures of science. The nature of science is something I have continuously worked on developing in my implementation and designing of learning cycles. Furthermore, Artifact #10 shows evidence of the importance of students working together and learning from one another. These photographs demonstrate students utilizing their science notebooks while cooperating with their classmates. They are sharing their ideas and discussing the observations they are making. Seeing students working together like scientists do is powerful. So, like Smith, McComas, and William (2009) say remember it is important, “to reinforce teaching the nature of science remind students that they are all scientists” (p. 51).
In order to make my beliefs become a reality in the classroom there are various roles that need to be filled by the teacher as a facilitator, the student as a learner in the classroom, and the environment of the classroom. As a teacher of science, I have to offer an environment where students are able to engage in inquiry and investigations. Rather than teaching at students I plan to serve as a facilitator in the classroom. Through the 5E learning cycle model that we discussed this semester students are able to discover their own learning without just being told. It is crucial for a science teacher to follow the 5E model to allow students to have opportunity to explore the concept, explain their thinking, and then have an opportunity to apply it to a real world situation. This model allows students to make connections to their own daily lives, self discover, and they take ownership of their learning. Artifact #7 shows my growth over time in developing learning cycles that follow the 5E model. Once I began using the 5E model in the classroom, I noticed a change immediately in my student’s response to science. They were more engaged and curious than I had ever seen them before. When I began implementing the learning cycle I was finding the explore phase very challenging because I found students just playing with the materials instead of using them appropriately. So, I got a very clever idea from Harlen. Harlen (2001) said, “… allow a period of free play before starting to discuss or focus observations” (p. 98). Harlen highlighted using this strategy during observation but I adapted it and use it during my explore phase now. I found even as a twenty-one year old when we were doing our magnet learning cycle and mealworm inquiry I just had to play around before I could focus. So, I could only imagine how hard it is on students if you don’t let them “play” for a few minutes. This strategy has worked wonders in my classroom and has helped the development of my implementation of learning cycles in the classroom. Also, as a teacher of science I feel it is crucial you are prepared with the appropriate knowledge. You need to know where each of your students are at through formative assessments and eliciting student ideas and also you need to know the content like the back of your hand and what misconceptions students may have. Artifact #6 gives an area for student misconceptions, as well as background knowledge the teacher needs to know. In order to effectively be able to provide opportunities for students to learn the content you have to understand the content enough to make it happen and where you need to break the misconceptions. When developing learning cycles science teachers also need to have a critical eye for the three different components of science (content, process skills, and the nature of science) that were introduced to us by Weinburgh. To have a complete and effective learning cycle all three components are necessary. Not all components will weigh equally but they will all be present. Before you are able to develop learning cycles, as a teacher you need to know where your students thinking is at before you ever start teaching them. Like Lee and Abell (2007) said, “Formative assessment helps teachers understand students prior knowledge, misunderstandings, learning difficulties,…” (p. 67). As science teachers we need to formatively assess students to see where they are before we have any business teaching them. As you can tell I strongly believe the teacher holds such a crucial role in effective science teaching however, lets not forget about the other components.
Furthermore, the student as a learner has a role in the classroom. Students in the science classroom should be engaging in investigations and inquiries about the world around them. Science notebooks should be in hand and utilized with a purpose. My core beliefs as stated earlier really share my feelings on what my expectations of a student in the science classroom are. To help encourage the student in the science classroom I believe the environment that is created plays a tremendous role in how science goes at the elementary level. Most importantly, there needs to be enthusiasm from the teacher and the students about doing science. If there is no enthusiasm then it will be boring. Additionally, everyone needs to feel as though they can share their ideas, which also goes back to my core beliefs. If you create the environment where students feel like their ideas are of importance then discussion and natural scientists will come out in students. Lastly, the students directly mirror the behaviors of the teacher. In order to get students doing science it needs to be a modeled behavior. Artifact #10 shows evidence that I have developed a community where students work together, but also that I have modeled how to use my science notebook and the importance of recording my observations.
Coming from a background where science was never my favorite, I really had to become open minded. I decided that the best thing I could do was be the difference in science. I was determined this semester to learn how to be an effective science teacher that students loved. I do not want my students to walk away from my classroom and be sitting around fifteen years later telling everyone they hate science or they are not good at it. This semester I feel like I have learned more information than can even fit in my brain. I have taken every resource and opportunity provided to apply it to the classroom I am in now and if I couldn’t then I am saving it for my future classroom. I have developed a solid belief of what science is as well as what each person’s role is in the elementary science classroom looks like. I look forward to developing my beliefs more and continuously growing in my knowledge of teaching elementary science education. Like everything else in education, I will forever be growing and changing to do what is best and most effective for the needs of the students in my classroom.
In order to make my beliefs become a reality in the classroom there are various roles that need to be filled by the teacher as a facilitator, the student as a learner in the classroom, and the environment of the classroom. As a teacher of science, I have to offer an environment where students are able to engage in inquiry and investigations. Rather than teaching at students I plan to serve as a facilitator in the classroom. Through the 5E learning cycle model that we discussed this semester students are able to discover their own learning without just being told. It is crucial for a science teacher to follow the 5E model to allow students to have opportunity to explore the concept, explain their thinking, and then have an opportunity to apply it to a real world situation. This model allows students to make connections to their own daily lives, self discover, and they take ownership of their learning. Artifact #7 shows my growth over time in developing learning cycles that follow the 5E model. Once I began using the 5E model in the classroom, I noticed a change immediately in my student’s response to science. They were more engaged and curious than I had ever seen them before. When I began implementing the learning cycle I was finding the explore phase very challenging because I found students just playing with the materials instead of using them appropriately. So, I got a very clever idea from Harlen. Harlen (2001) said, “… allow a period of free play before starting to discuss or focus observations” (p. 98). Harlen highlighted using this strategy during observation but I adapted it and use it during my explore phase now. I found even as a twenty-one year old when we were doing our magnet learning cycle and mealworm inquiry I just had to play around before I could focus. So, I could only imagine how hard it is on students if you don’t let them “play” for a few minutes. This strategy has worked wonders in my classroom and has helped the development of my implementation of learning cycles in the classroom. Also, as a teacher of science I feel it is crucial you are prepared with the appropriate knowledge. You need to know where each of your students are at through formative assessments and eliciting student ideas and also you need to know the content like the back of your hand and what misconceptions students may have. Artifact #6 gives an area for student misconceptions, as well as background knowledge the teacher needs to know. In order to effectively be able to provide opportunities for students to learn the content you have to understand the content enough to make it happen and where you need to break the misconceptions. When developing learning cycles science teachers also need to have a critical eye for the three different components of science (content, process skills, and the nature of science) that were introduced to us by Weinburgh. To have a complete and effective learning cycle all three components are necessary. Not all components will weigh equally but they will all be present. Before you are able to develop learning cycles, as a teacher you need to know where your students thinking is at before you ever start teaching them. Like Lee and Abell (2007) said, “Formative assessment helps teachers understand students prior knowledge, misunderstandings, learning difficulties,…” (p. 67). As science teachers we need to formatively assess students to see where they are before we have any business teaching them. As you can tell I strongly believe the teacher holds such a crucial role in effective science teaching however, lets not forget about the other components.
Furthermore, the student as a learner has a role in the classroom. Students in the science classroom should be engaging in investigations and inquiries about the world around them. Science notebooks should be in hand and utilized with a purpose. My core beliefs as stated earlier really share my feelings on what my expectations of a student in the science classroom are. To help encourage the student in the science classroom I believe the environment that is created plays a tremendous role in how science goes at the elementary level. Most importantly, there needs to be enthusiasm from the teacher and the students about doing science. If there is no enthusiasm then it will be boring. Additionally, everyone needs to feel as though they can share their ideas, which also goes back to my core beliefs. If you create the environment where students feel like their ideas are of importance then discussion and natural scientists will come out in students. Lastly, the students directly mirror the behaviors of the teacher. In order to get students doing science it needs to be a modeled behavior. Artifact #10 shows evidence that I have developed a community where students work together, but also that I have modeled how to use my science notebook and the importance of recording my observations.
Coming from a background where science was never my favorite, I really had to become open minded. I decided that the best thing I could do was be the difference in science. I was determined this semester to learn how to be an effective science teacher that students loved. I do not want my students to walk away from my classroom and be sitting around fifteen years later telling everyone they hate science or they are not good at it. This semester I feel like I have learned more information than can even fit in my brain. I have taken every resource and opportunity provided to apply it to the classroom I am in now and if I couldn’t then I am saving it for my future classroom. I have developed a solid belief of what science is as well as what each person’s role is in the elementary science classroom looks like. I look forward to developing my beliefs more and continuously growing in my knowledge of teaching elementary science education. Like everything else in education, I will forever be growing and changing to do what is best and most effective for the needs of the students in my classroom.